Steps
- Avoid running taps. When you wash vegetables and fruit, always balance the amount of time you will spend rinsing them. If you have a lot of potatoes to scrub, fill the sink halfway instead of leaving running water on. One apple is fine under the tap but many fruits need a small sinkful of water instead.
- Don't use the dishwasher until it is full. A half-empty dishwasher is a waste of water, as the same amount is still sloshing through no matter how many dishes you have or don't have in there.
- Rinse dishes in a half-filled sink rather than under a running tap. Leaving the tap on when you rinse off the dishes creates a lot of water loss. It is far better to stick in the plug and dip your dishes in and out of the half-filled sink before doing whatever you wish to do with them. Naturally, if you are going to go this effort, you need to ask why you are rinsing them. Either fill the sink and wash them properly, or get a dishwasher powder capable of dealing with unrinsed dishes.
- Use a sink strainer. Lift all scraps and other debris out of the sink that it catches and dispose of in the bin instead. All that gunk going down the drains is not only bad for the water supplies it ends up in but will ultimately clog your drains and cause you money getting it fixed.
- Don't defrost or melt ice under running water. Once again, if you are defrosting the freezer, a portable car fridge, etc., half-fill the sink and put the items in there. Or be patient and let the items thaw at room temperature. Or put them in the sun outside. Even if it is raining, that will do a defrost for you without wasting water.
- Change your cooking habits. Instead of boiling, prefer steaming. Not only does it use a lot less water, it also retains far more nutrients in your food and that can only be good for you; your tastebuds will certainly agree.
- Turn off taps tightly. Don't let taps drip. And if they won't stop dripping, get the washer changed or get a plumber in.
- Dry brush and spot clean the floor. Sweep up the scraps regularly and spot mop spills rather than washing the whole floor each time. Leave that to the weekly mopping instead.
Tips
- Always attend to spills quickly while they are still moist. Not only do you use a lot less water to wipe off tomato seeds dripping down the cupboard doors but you will also find it much, much easier than when they dry on!
- Prefer your compost bin over the garbage disposal unit; it is much kinder to our waterways and environment. Plus you get the benefit of more fertile soil from the resulting compost.
Things You'll Need
- Steamer saucepans (and bamboo steamers are excellent)
- Full dishwashers
- Broom/Swiffer? (dry-sweep tool)
- Plug for sink - get a new one if you've lost it
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